Signal or clip



May-21, 1929- c. s. CARTER ET AL 1,713,994

SIGNAL OR CLIP y Filed June 4, 1927 Tgfffffmff Patented May 2l, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHAPEL S. CARTER, OF ORANGE, AND BERNARD Li POLKOSNIK, OF WEST HAVEN, f CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNORS TO THE H. C. COOK COMPANY, F ANSONIA, CONNECTI- CUT.

SIGNAL OR CLIP.

Application filed .Tune 4,

This invention relates to a marker or signal foruse in a card index and for other purposes, and more particularly, to a marker or signal in the form of a detachable metal clip adapted to be adjustably secured on an edge of a card to indicate a particular condition or character of the information contained on t-he card.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a marker or signal which may be readily lapplied to a card, adjusted thereon, or detached therefrom, by an operator, but` in which means is provided for preventing` the signal from being displaced or detached r through engagement with the adjacent cards of the index as they are flexed back and forth by the operator. j

In a specific aspect, the invention contemplates a clip made of thin resilient 'material 0 having a pair of legs adapted to straddle and grip a card therebetween, and means provided on the ends of the legs 'for Iguiding the edge of a card over the clip, so that the cards of the index may be flexed without in r terference from the clip.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a clip of the vabovetype which may be attached to and adjusted on a card without any danger of mutilating the card.

To these and other ends, the invention consists inthe novel features and combination of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings,

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary plan view of a card index drawer, showing a number of cards arranged therein with signals made in accordance with our invention carried on the edges thereof; n

Fig. 2 is a plan view of oneof the signals shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view, line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2, but showing the opposite face of the signal;

Fig. 5 `is a plan view of a modification; and

Fig. 6 is a sectional view,'taken`along line 6-'-6 of Fig. 5.

`Referring'to the drawings in which we have shown some preferred embodiments of our invention, the reference numeral 7 indicates a drawer of a card index having therein a' series of cards 8, secured to metal taken along 1927. serial No'. 196,526.

strips 9 by means of tabs .10,7 11 and 12, the cards -8 being pivotally supported in the drawer 7 by means of ears 13, formed on the ends of strips 9, the ears 13 being recelvcdin the usual pockets provided in the sides of the drawer, herein not shown in detail. i

The form of the signal shown in Figs. 2-4, inclusive, consists of a strip of resilient material 14, preferably but not necessarily, made of steel about 12/1000 in thickness, the strip being bent about a transverse axis at 15 to form two legs or branches 16 and 17, extending in the same direction and in contact with one -another at an intermediate l 15. The leg 17 extends beyond the upwardly bent portion v19 of the leg 16 and has most ofk the upper face of this extended portion substantially Hush with the central line passing through the signaland termi-1` nates at a spaced interval from leg 16, having av tip 24 bent upwardly slightlybeyond the center line.

The upper face of tip 21 is chamfered, as at 22, while the lower face of tip 24 is similarly chamfercd, as at 25. As shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings, the opposite edges of the end of leg116 are carried inwardly at 26 and 27 to form a blunt point on the tip 21, while the leg` 17 is provided with similar edges 28 and 29. The chamfering on the upper face of tip 21 of leg 16 and lower face of tip 24 ofleg 17 is not carried down so as to make sharp edges, but the edges of the signal at these points are purposely kept slightly blunt, for a purpose .to be hereinafter described. Y

In Figs. 5 and 6, we have shown a. modiiicationin which a strip of material 30 is bent along a transverse axisy at 31 to form ytwo legs or branches 32 and 33, extending chamfered, as at 38. Immediately above the end of leg 33, the leg 32 is provided with an opening 39 int-o which the upwardly bent tip 37 of leg 33 extends. The opposite edges of legs 82 and 33 are provided with inwardly extending portions 40,41, 42 and 43, and the edge of this tip is kept blunt in a similar manner to the form shown in Figs. 2, 8 and 4. l

In operation, in the form shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4 the edge of acard is inserted between the tip 24 of the leg 17 and the tip 21 of the leg 16. Upon pressing the signal onto the card, the card will slide between the legs 16 and 17 until it reaenes the doubled over portion 15. The signal may be moved along the card to any suitable position, the

multilation of the card being prevented by the blunt ends of the tips 21 and 24. lVhen adjusted on the card, the tip 21 of the leg 1G may slightly displace the card, or in any erent lie in tight engagement with the card while the tip 24 of the leg 17 also displaces or tightly engages the card, the hump 2O providing a relief opening into which the card may be pressed, if necessary, by the tip 24. Upon flexing the cards back and forth in the index, the upper edges of the point of the tip being carried closely adjacent, or slight-ly below the general surface of the card on which the signal is mounted, the adjacent cards of the index will ride over the legs of the signal without tending to catch on them and displace the signal.

In the modification shown in Figs. and 6, the tip 35 is placed on a card and the signal pressed downwardly to displace the Vtip 37 of the leg 33, away from the leg 32, lto permit the introduction of the card between the legs of the signal. The signal may then be slid onto the card until the edge of the card reaches the doubled over portion 31. The downwardly bent tip 36 of the leg 82, and the upwardly bent tip 37 oit the leg 33, displace slightly or tightly engage the card ina similar manner to the legs 16 and 17 of the form shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4. The opening 39 in leg 32 is eqivalent to the humped portion oiI `i gs.` 2, 3 and 4, and permits the tip 37 of the leg 33 to displace the card slightly, if necessary, so that the upper surfaces of the points of tips and 37 are carriedV closely adjacent, or slightly below, the general surface et the card and permit the adjacent cards of the index to pass over the legs of the signal without displacing the signal from the card on which it is placed. In either case, one leg of the signal is relieved to permit the displacement of' the card by the otherlee.

The slightly blunt points of the tips of the signal permit the signal to be adjusted on the card without any danger of mutilating the card.A

W'hile we have shown a signal in which the outer end is carried substantially flush with the edee of the card, it is to be understood that tlie invention is not limited thereto, but is adapted to be used with other forms of signals; for instance, one in which tabs ory extensions are carried on the outer ends ot' the signals to be grasped by the fingers of an operator.

lVhile we have shown and described some preferred embodiments of oui` invention, it will be understood that the same is not to be limited to all the details shown, but is capable of modification and variation within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

What we claim is:

1. A marker or clipfor a card of a card index or the like comprising a pair of legs oi. thin resilient material adapted to receive and grip a card therebetween, said legs being connected together' at one end of said clip, in contact at an intermediate portion, and separated adjacent the opposite end ot the clip, and means on the separated ends of said legs for guiding other cards over said ends and preventing other cards from catching on the same.

2. A marker or clip for a card of a card index or the like comprising a pair of legs of thin resilient material adapted to receive and grip a card therebetween, said legs being connected together-'at one end of said clip and vextending unequal distances from said connection, the sides of said legs at the opposite end of said clip from said connection being tapered inwardly to present relatively sharp points and each of said points being bent slightly inwardly to a point on Jthe opposite side of the center line of the signal from its respective leg.

3. A marker or clip tor a. card of a card index or the like comprising a pair of legs of thin resilient material adapted to receive and grip a card therebetween, said legs being connected together at one end of said clip and being of' unequal length, the sides of said legs at the opposite end et' said clip v'from said connection being( tapered inwardly to present relatively sharp points adapted t0 grip opposite sides of the card, the extrem ities of said legs being'provided 4with chamfered portions adapted to guide other cards over said clip without tending to dislodge the latter from the card on which it is placed. Y

4. A marker or clip for a card of a card index or the like comprising a pair of legs ot thin resilient material adapted to receive and grip a card therebetween, said legs being connected together at one end ot' said clip and being of unequal length, said legs being in Contact at an intermediate point of their length, and being provided With inwardly tapered sides at the oppositeend of said clip from said connection, the ends of said legs being bent slightly towards one another and the longer of said legs being 'provided with a relieved portion into which a card may be displaced by the end of the shorter of said legs, the points on both legs pressing into and being carried below the surfaces of the card.

5. A marker or clip for a card of a card index or the like comprising a pair of legs of thin resilient material adapted to receive and grip a card therebetween, said legs being of unequal length, the longer of said legs being provided with an outwardly displaced portion opposite the end of the shorter leg, the ends of said legs being bent slightly towards one another and the opposite sides of said legs being tapered inwardly to provide pointed tips which when gripping a card press into and are carried at or below the surfaces thereof.

6. A marker or clip fora card of a card index or the like comprising a pair of legs of thin resilient material adapted to receive and grip a card therebetween, said legs being connected together at one end of said clip and being of unequal length, the longer of said legs being provided with an outwardly displaced portion opposite the end of the shorter leg, the ends of said legs being bent slightly towards one another and the opposite sides of said legs being tapered inwardly to provide pointed tips and the outer faces of said points being chamfered.

7. A marker or clip having two legs extending in the same direction, one of which is longer than the other, said legs being resilient and havingl their sides tapering inwardly to present relatively sharp points, and the longer thereof having a relieved portion at a point substantially adjacent the end of the shorter into which the card may be displaced by the end of the shorter leg.

8. A marker or clip for a card of a card index or the like, comprising a thin resilient metal plate doubled on itself to present two Vlegs adapted to receive and grip the card therebetween, one of said legs being shorter than the other, the ends of said legs being bent slightly towards one another, the outer faces of the tips of said legs being chamfered and the longer of said legs having a relieved portion at a point substantially adjacent the end of the shorter.

9. A signal or clip for a card index or the like, comprising a pair of legsV between which a card may be received and gripped,

one of said legs being longer than the other, the long leg being provided with an arcuate bend spaced from and opposite the end of the short leg, the end of the long leg extending downwardly to a point below the general plane of the upper surface of the short leg and the end of the short leg extending towards said bend beyond said plane.

10. A marker or rclip for a card index comprising a `thin resilient metal strip doubled upon itself to .provide a pair of legs of unequal length connected together at one end of the clip, said legs being in contact at an intermediate point in their lengths and spaced apart between said contact point and the free end of the shorter leg, said legs being provided with inwardly tapered sides adjacent their free ends to form relatively sharp points, and the metal of the clip adjacent said points being of relatively less thickness than that at the bight portion to present relatively thin points to lie close to the surfacel of the card.

1l. A marker or clip fora card index comprising a thing resilient metal strip doubled upon itself to provide a pair of legs of unequal length connected together at one end of the clip, said legs being in contact at an intermediate point in their lengths and spaced apart between said contact point and the free end of the shorter leg, said legs being provided with inwardly tapered sides adjacent their free ends to form relatively sharp points, and the metal of the clip adjacent said points being of relatively less thickness than that at the bight portion to present relatively thin points to lie close to the surface of the card, and the free ends of said legs being inclined inwardly toward each other.

12. A marker or clip for a card of a card index and the like, comprising a strip of thin resilient metal doubled upon itself to form a pair of legs of unequal length connected together at one end, said legs being in contact at an intermediate point of their lengths and b eing spaced apart upon each side of said contact point, the free ends of said legs presenting relatively sharp points and being inclined inwardly toward each other.

In witness whereof, we have hereunto set 4our hands on theQnd day of June, 1927.

CHAPEL s. CARTER. BERNARD L. PoLKosNrK. 

